Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Price Dropasaurus: Bulletstorm

Just in time for Valentine's Day! Join Rock as he takes a close look at Bulletstorm, a game that many people initially passed up, either because they were put off by its silly sense of humor or by the poor marketing of the game's strongest mechanic. Read on for explosions, dick jokes, and more!

I totally understand why you passed on Bulletstorm when it originally released in February of 2011. I passed on it too! The game had pretty confused marketing that didn't really send a clear message about what the game actually was. Beyond dick jokes, that is.With poor marketing like that going on, it's not really that surprising that people decided to hold off. So now I'm here to tell you why this game is definitely worth your time, and your money!

The game has a very distinctive visual style.

You play as anti-hero Grayson Hunt. Basically you take Ash from Army of Darkness, multiply his bravado by two, and then give him the swagger of a man who's permanently soaking in alcohol. That's Gray: he's big, he's cocky, he's hammered, and he's impulsive. He's also genuinely hilarious! In fact, one of the major strengths of the game is the fact that it has a fantastically quirky sense of humor, and it actually made me laugh at my screen a couple of times. When is the last time a game did that for you? A lot of people labeled this style of humor as the modern evolution of the Duke Nukem archetype, which I don't fully agree with. This game is actually funny, for one, and it accomplishes this without being as crass and stupid as Duke.

There are some genuinely thrilling moments throughout the game.

But let's talk about the shooting. This is, after all, a game all about the man-shoots, and finding the most creative ways to shoot the most men. You see, the combat mainly centers around a mechanic called the "Skillshot" system. Basically, this system rewards you for finding unique and interesting ways to kill dudes. The more interesting the kill, the more points. Points are then used to purchase ammo and unlock upgrades for your weapons. So experimentation is key! You're also given a Leash, which basically just pulls stuff to you and later throws dudes into the air. So sure, you could just shoot a guy in the head, and grab a measly 25 points. Or, you could pull him toward you with your Leash, wrap him up in explosives fired from the Flailgun, then kick him back over to his buddies. Once he and his friends are reunited, you get to blow all of their asses to pieces! That's a skillshot called Gang Bang, and it'll earn you a ton of points, especially considering that you get a multiplier for every enemy effected! In total, there are over a hundred Skillshots, with most of them specific to the each of the weapons in the game's arsenal. And let's not forget that every level is packed with environmental hazards as well! Whether they're gigantic cacti, exploding barrels, or even just piranha-filled water, there are plenty of ways to make sure the bad guys have a bad day.

Bulletstorm makes beautiful use of the Unreal engine.

With an ever-expanding selection of weapons, Bulletstorm is constantly challenging you to find new ways to mess dudes up, and it definitely ensures that you won't be bored. The Skillshot system constantly pushes you to find new ways to rack up points, and rewards you greatly when you pull off something truly fantastic. With a sense of humor that will actually make you laugh, and a hero who actually grows on you, you're sure to have a blast in this chaotic slaughterhouse! Check it out now for around $20 on Steam!

Yeah the demo was great! I wouldn't have bought this game at full price, in fact, I didn't! I was definitely getting the same kind of fatigue, and if not for the Skillshot system and the pretty great sense of humor, I would have stopped playing. Considering the price-to-fun ratio, I'm happy with this.

I loved the game, but I was not a fan of the demo. I didn't get a feel for the game by playing 1 5 minute Echo level.

I really love the skillshot system. The humor has some moments, but this was the superior Duke Nukem.

I got it for $13.49 at Gamestop but it was free in the Buy 2 Used get 1 used free. When I get a new PC I will play it on Steam, since MrBibz gave it to me when it was $5 during the New Year Encore sale.